Plymouth Fisheries, England’s second largest fresh fish market based at Sutton Harbour, reported record landings for October, with the unseasonably warm weather late into the year thought to be one reason behind the increase.
Gross sales of fish sold at auction at Plymouth’s thriving fisheries hub exceeded £2.14million in October, compared to £1.22million during the same month last year. This is believed to be the highest amount sold during a month-long period since the fish market first opened in Sutton Lock in 1995.
The high profits are also largely the result of especially diverse range of species being offered for sale last month, which experts believe is the result of warmer weather in the autumn months.
Pete Bromley, Harbour Master of Sutton Harbour and Manager of Plymouth Fisheries, said: “October was probably the best month for landings at Plymouth since we opened the new fish market back in 1995.
“The transition between summer and winter has been proceeded at a slow pace this year, and species of fish more associated with summer fishing have remained on the ground, whilst traditional autumn runs of cuttlefish and monkfish have appeared in good numbers. We have also seen a good showing of herring and pilchards often shoaling close inshore.
“Good catches of red mullet, dories, bass and Dover sole along with the cuttlefish have provided a good living for the fishing fleet working on grounds local to Plymouth, and this is in contrast to previous years when skippers generally had to travel further to the east for the best fishing in the autumn and early winter months.”
